Shipmate of the Week – HS1 Brian Flor
If you’re looking for Alaskan adventure and gritty challenges, look no further than Coast Guard Cutter SPAR. Known as the “Aleutian Keeper,” the men and women aboard SPAR continuously brave every mission that comes their way – no easy feat while sailing the waters of the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea.
Shipmate of the Week – Lt. j.g. Doritha Douglas
On this day in 1942, legislation approved the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve to help fill jobs and free men to serve during the war effort. Women from all over the country took the oath, attended training, wore the uniform and served in shoreside positions throughout the nation. They were known as the SPARs – Semper Paratus, Always Ready! On Nov. 9, former SPAR and Coast Guard veteran Lt. j.g. Doritha Douglas was interviewed about her decision to join the SPARs and the experiences she had. Douglas is one of the oldest surviving members of the SPARs.
Dr. Olivia Hooker: Veteran trail blazer
The following is an excerpt from the White Plains Patch reprinted with permission. Westchester County recently presented Dr. Olivia Hooker, a World War II Coast Guard SPAR and one of the first African American women to enlist in the service, [...]
Your Coast Guard in 2011 – Alaska
With an increasing number of eyes on the Arctic, Coast Guardsmen spent 2011 testing capabilities, building partnerships and rapport with Native Alaskans and keeping a vigilant watch above the Arctic Circle in some of the most challenging marine operation environments on the planet.
Shipmate of the Week – Elfie Larkin
UPDATE: The spelling of Vice Adm. Jody Breckenridge’s name was corrected in paragraph eight. Written by Chief Petty Officer Sarah Foster, 11th Coast Guard District. At the Oakland Zoo, where Elfie Larkin volunteered as a docent for more than 32 [...]
Making waves: CAPT Eleanor L’Ecuyer
On this important date for women in the military – the anniversary of the SPARs – the Coast Guard celebrates all of these trailblazing women by highlighting the noteworthy efforts of Capt. Eleanor C. L’Ecuyer. Written by Petty Officer 1st [...]
SPARs Day: A day to remember
“A tremendous tribute.” - Vice Adm. Sally Brice-O’Hara, Coast Guard Vice Commandant The massive, brand new 418-foot cutter provides surprisingly little shade on the hot and sunny pier in Pascagoula, Miss., where the Coast Guard’s most influential female leaders from [...]
History: The Women’s Reserve, America’s backbone
This month’s history post comes to us from the Coast Guard’s 13th District and tells the story of some of the first SPARs to report for duty in the Pacific Northwest. The sacrifices made by the SPARs and their counterparts [...]
itCG – Innovation Expo, pirates repelled, First Lady honors women vets, Guardians in the community
YouTube DoDLive The Ninth Coast Guard Innovation Expo wraps up today. Yesterday’s focus was on harnessing the power of Guardian innovators. While the private sector can be a powerful force for progress, some of the best ideas come from right [...]
Coast Guard History – SPARs
I wonder what it was like to be a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, a SPAR, during World War II… To be one of the first female Guardians… To be a part of a select group of [...]
